Mark Dunford, editor of the Crawley Observer and head of sport for Sussex World joins Toby Lock, Sports Editor for the MK Citizen to talk about next week’s play-off semi-final between Crawley Town and MK Dons. Find out what their thoughts are on the game and their score predictions
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00:00 Hi, I'm Mark Dunford, editor of the Crawley Observer and head of sport for Sussex World,
00:06 and I'm joined by Toby Lott, sports editor for the MK Citizen, and we are here to talk
00:09 about next week's play-off semi-final between Crawley Town and MK Dons.
00:14 The first leg is on Monday, May 6th, 3pm kick-off at the Broadfield Stadium, and the second
00:20 leg is at Stadium MK on Thursday, 8pm kick-off.
00:24 You can follow all the action, reaction, picture galleries and everything else that's happening
00:27 around the games at Sussexworld.co.uk and MiltonKeynes.co.uk.
00:33 So we're going to start with the Dons, Toby.
00:35 How have you viewed their season overall?
00:37 Was the play off play to target or was that a bit of a disappointment?
00:41 To be honest, I think it's probably a bit of a disappointment.
00:43 The season probably can break down into two different sections.
00:46 The first couple of months under Graham Alexander, and then the time since when Mike Williamson
00:52 took over.
00:53 It started really well in August, absolutely fine.
00:56 Aside from the defeat at Broadfield Stadium, everything seemed to be going really rosy
01:01 for Graham Alexander.
01:02 I know it was a tough pre-season for the players, but they felt fit, they looked sharp, and
01:08 most importantly, they were winning games.
01:09 So when they were top of the table at the end of the month, Graham Alexander wins manager
01:13 of the month, we're all thinking, you know, they could be on the fast track to League
01:16 One.
01:17 But the wheels fell off in September and by October he was gone.
01:21 So the first part of the season certainly feels like a half, but it was only a couple
01:27 of months ultimately.
01:28 That was the sort of time where we thought, oh dear, this could be a very, very bad season
01:33 completely.
01:34 But then since Mike Williamson has taken over, they just hit the gas and ploughed from 19th
01:41 up to fourth spot.
01:42 And, you know, there were some road bumps along the way, but ultimately, I think as
01:46 much as they're quite happy to have finished in the playoffs, I think if you'd asked them
01:50 that at the start of the season, they'd have probably said this was probably the second
01:52 or third or third.
01:53 Yeah.
01:54 Yeah.
01:55 And what are the fans thought of the season as well?
01:57 Is there a similar sort of feeling?
01:58 I think it's a similar feeling.
02:01 You know, like I said, they dropped to 19th place when they lost Mike Williamson's first
02:04 game in charge away at Accrington.
02:06 I think that's the lowest the club has ever been in its history.
02:09 It was doom and gloom.
02:11 It was, you know, there was a lot of questions being asked about the recruitment again and
02:16 the squad make up and whether or not this team was actually built to do anything worthwhile
02:22 in League Two at all.
02:23 And whether or not, you know, was it a League One team that they put together that just
02:27 can't handle the rough and tumble and the styles of League Two?
02:30 And all sorts of questions flying about, but Mike managed to get a tune out of them very
02:34 quickly and he won then a few games on the trot not long after taking over.
02:39 So it sort of started to build that momentum.
02:41 And I think fans quickly got on board with that because they remembered how it was to
02:44 win again, you know, so easy to forget after a year and a bit of losing regular games and
02:50 obviously getting relegated to League Two and then having the start that they did.
02:55 It was easy to forget that winning feeling again and Mike brought that back.
02:59 And I think that's given him a lot of credit from the support.
03:02 Yeah.
03:03 And actually, just a quick word on Mike Williamson, because obviously he's been nominated for
03:08 manager of the season, along with Nigel Clough and the crew manager, Lee Bower, wasn't it?
03:14 Yeah.
03:15 Do you think he probably deserved that nomination?
03:17 Yeah, I really do.
03:18 Like I said, the turnaround has been quite remarkable.
03:21 And in his first year as an EFL manager, it's been fantastic.
03:25 He's completely turned the club, certainly style-wise on its head.
03:29 It's men's style football that the chairman wants to see, that the fans enjoy seeing.
03:34 And it's brought about results.
03:36 You know, they've smashed through teams on the way up the table.
03:41 Up until about New Year, they'd lost one game under the box.
03:45 It was a massive run and they've stayed there, they're about in the fight.
03:50 Up until the last few weeks, that beat to Scott Port, which is probably the final now.
03:56 And then, you know, the Mansfield loss as well came as a sucker punch later on.
04:01 But it was well justified for me.
04:05 Yeah.
04:06 And that's what I'm looking forward to, actually, in the next two games.
04:08 I think they are two of the more attractive footballing sides, aren't they, Crawley and
04:13 MK Dons?
04:14 Absolutely.
04:15 I think the two games that we saw, even in Dons' contrasting styles that they went with,
04:19 obviously, they went to the Broadfield Stadium, under Graham Alexander, and it was a bit more
04:23 rough and ready football.
04:24 But Crawley popped Dons off the park, quite frankly, from minute one.
04:29 And it was a tough evening for MK Dons.
04:33 And then even at Stadium MK, you know, Dons got goals at either end of the game, when
04:37 it wasn't as easy as it is.
04:39 It certainly didn't feel like a 2-0 victory.
04:41 It felt like they were lucky and somewhat fortunate to come away with that win.
04:46 But all the same, you know, they defended well that night, Dons.
04:50 And they're two very attractive styles, but ultimately, they're quite similar styles as
04:55 well.
04:56 And I think that's where sometimes, if you get two very similar styles, it can feel like
05:00 two teams butting heads and it can almost come across as a little bit too ugly, because
05:03 you're both trying to do the same thing.
05:04 But you also know how to pop it as well.
05:07 But if both sides can take advantage of the conditions, of the pitches, of the sizes,
05:12 and obviously of home territory when it comes to it, it might be a really, really enthralling
05:17 play-off semi-final.
05:18 Absolutely, yeah, couldn't agree more.
05:21 And what's their form been like going into these play-off games?
05:23 They've actually been pretty decent in the last few games.
05:27 They won't have liked conceding quite as many goals as they have.
05:32 But they've, you know, they lost to Mansfield, but they had to chuck everything at it.
05:36 The 4-1 scoreline almost glosses over what the actual match was.
05:41 You know, it was do or die at that point.
05:43 They conceded two goals in stoppage time because they were piling everything forward in it
05:47 to keep that automatic promotion chance alive.
05:49 But yeah, they've conceded a lot of goals, which I think will be the main concern.
05:52 But scoring goals has been pretty decent as well.
05:54 They got five at Harrogate and four against Sutton in the in-black couple.
05:58 So it's not the best form that they, you know, obviously want to go in with as many wins
06:04 as possible.
06:05 But they've looked confident when they've been out there.
06:09 Yeah, that is.
06:10 And how do you, the fans and Mike Williams, see Crawley as an opponent?
06:14 Because Don's will go into the game as favourite, surely, I think.
06:18 Yeah, I think at this point, when it comes to play-offs, much like cup competitions,
06:23 form goes out the window really, doesn't it?
06:25 It can act as a confidence thing.
06:26 I think going into the play-offs, it's almost a fresh sheet of paper.
06:30 A couple of years ago, Don's went into the play-offs in League One and they just slapped
06:36 Plymouth 5-0.
06:37 They only just narrowly missed out on automatic promotion that day and came up against a Wickham
06:43 team that raked in on the final day.
06:46 So it's one of those where I think form goes out the window and it just, it means relatively
06:54 little.
06:55 I think, as I said, Crawley are formidable opponents.
06:57 I think it was 57% possession they had in both of the games against them this season.
07:03 And that's a stat that Don's don't like to see.
07:06 They want to have the ball.
07:09 So they know that they're coming up against a Crawley side who are well-drilled, know
07:12 what they're doing and are really good at what they're doing as well.
07:14 So I don't think that league position, or ultimately, of course, league position doesn't
07:18 matter now.
07:19 It's a competition football across two legs.
07:22 So it's a dangerous one for MK Don's.
07:26 They can't take Crawley lightly because they know what's happened to them in the first
07:30 three games that they've played this season.
07:31 So they won't want them beats of that.
07:34 Yeah.
07:35 And the fans, are the fans confident though, do you think?
07:38 I think so.
07:39 Yeah.
07:40 I think you have to go into these things confident.
07:42 There's a huge campaign set by one of the supporters groups, Don's Action, who are encouraging
07:48 fans to don their white for the home game and make Stadium MK looking as white as possible
07:54 like the kits.
07:55 I think everybody's really, you know, they're looking forward to it.
07:59 You know, when there's a playoff campaign, people in their team will come out.
08:04 And I think they've sold well over 5,000 tickets for the home leg already.
08:09 I think that may only increase the ball, obviously, depending on the result on Monday.
08:14 But, you know, with a week to go, there's still, you know, great demand for those tickets.
08:19 So I think the fans will be loud and proud.
08:23 I think the away end is sold out for the first leg already as well.
08:27 So I think everybody's buzzing for it.
08:30 And I think ultimately everybody just wants to get out of League Two.
08:35 Yeah, absolutely.
08:37 And what sort of style can Crawley fans expect to see from MK Don's?
08:41 And who should they be looking out for, key danger players?
08:44 Yeah, well, I think very similar to the way Crawley like to play.
08:48 They like to play out from the back.
08:49 They like to pop the ball around.
08:52 It's very much centred around the two midfielders who sit in front of the back three, be it
08:57 Jack Payne and Lewis Bate or Ethan Robson or MJ Williams can pop in there as well.
09:02 But it's very, very pass-orientated.
09:06 It's very, you know, you see a lot of triangles.
09:08 You see a lot of sometimes dangerous cards out from the goalkeeper, things that might
09:11 leave your heart in your mouth.
09:12 Some of the most high lavish of Premier League stadiums at times.
09:18 And you wonder what on earth are you doing?
09:20 But it can pay off.
09:23 So it's a style that is becoming more prominent in football.
09:28 You don't tend to see it quite as low down in these leagues as maybe MK Don's would like.
09:35 But I think, like I say, it's a very similar style to quick passes, a lot of movement,
09:40 a lot of use of wing backs.
09:42 You probably experience it for Crawley as well.
09:45 In terms of players to look out for, Alex Gilbey, who will play just in behind the striker.
09:52 He's been, you know, he's managed since his comeback from Charlton.
09:55 He spent three years there.
09:56 He admitted that he never should have gone in the first place.
09:59 He's swept the Player of the Year awards on Monday night, picked up Player of the Year,
10:03 Players' Player and Goal of the Season.
10:05 It's his most prolific season.
10:08 He's picked up more goals and assists this year than he did in his first spell.
10:11 And that was three years at the club before that.
10:13 So he's just been mighty since coming in.
10:16 And he's worn the captain's armband more often than not as well.
10:19 So he's been absolutely massive and is the voice on the field.
10:23 He's the one that gets the crowd up as well.
10:25 So he's definitely one to watch out for.
10:26 But similarly, Max Dean, he's got goals in his last six appearances.
10:32 He was out injured for seven or eight weeks and his absence was really well felt.
10:38 You know, Don's kind of stumbled a little bit through February and March when he was absent.
10:44 But he made a massive impression since coming back.
10:47 And there's just been a real handful for a young striker who's playing his first full season in the EFL.
10:53 Yeah. And if MK, Don's do get through, obviously I'm hoping not.
10:57 Who do you fancy in the final?
10:59 It just doesn't matter, does it?
11:00 I think at that point it doesn't matter.
11:03 I think everybody would want to avoid Doncaster because they have had a blow into those playoffs.
11:10 But, you know, either way, I think making it to that final,
11:14 then like I say, form doesn't really count for an awful lot.
11:17 I think when you go into the final, it's just who wants it more.
11:22 You've got to try and let head rule heart more so on those sorts of days.
11:27 And if Don's can control that, I'd fancy him against anybody, to be honest.
11:32 Yeah, fair enough.
11:33 Should we move on to Crawley Town then?
11:34 What questions you got for me?
11:36 It's much the same, actually.
11:38 You know, quite certainly, you know, having read some of your stuff and seeing that there's
11:43 loads of coaches that are going to be coming on their way up to Stadium MK,
11:47 the place must be buzzing.
11:49 Oh, it really is at the moment.
11:50 I mean, I went down on Wednesday morning when the tickets first went on sale to season ticket holders
11:56 and CTSA members and it was, they're just happy to be here sort of thing.
12:01 After last season, obviously, there's, yeah, it was all doom and gloom.
12:07 Lindsay came in, did the job he needed to do from January to the end of the season, got us safe.
12:11 And then, yeah, this season has just been an absolute revelation.
12:15 All that is well documented.
12:17 Predictions were Crawley were going to go down, etc.
12:20 Brought in a load of players from non-league, likes of Jay Williams, Clydie Lollos.
12:25 Everybody was like, who the hell are these players kind of thing?
12:28 What are we doing?
12:28 We're definitely going down.
12:29 And then, yeah, it's just been fantastic.
12:32 And we've seen crowds of over 5,000 for the last three or four home games.
12:36 So it's really buzzing.
12:38 And we're expecting a hell of a lot more than that on Monday.
12:41 So it's a really positive feeling around the club.
12:44 They are just happy to be here, but they want to win it.
12:46 Obviously, they want to get through.
12:48 And I think they feel they stand a chance against MK Dons.
12:52 Yeah, no, absolutely.
12:53 Because I remember talking to you when we had that game.
12:56 I think it was the second or third game of the season, wasn't it?
12:58 It was, yeah.
12:59 And it felt like doom and gloom.
13:01 And it felt like beating MK Dons on that day
13:05 sort of gave everybody that sense of belief and that sense of sit up and think,
13:08 oh, hang on, we're not as bad as maybe everybody seems to think we are at this point.
13:12 Absolutely, yeah, because they beat Bradford, obviously, 1-0 on the first day of the season.
13:15 And I think it was a bit of a...
13:17 It wasn't a great performance, a vintage or anything like that.
13:20 But then, yeah, I think it was that night, MK Dons, where everybody stood up and started to believe, kind of thing.
13:25 And it was the quality of the goals as well.
13:27 Danny Lo Orsi's winner was shortlisted for goal of the season, didn't win it.
13:32 But it was just a lovely move.
13:33 Just one touch.
13:35 Adam Campbell, I can't remember who else was involved, but it's a great finish.
13:38 And Nick Saruda's goal as well was great.
13:41 And from that point on, I haven't looked back, really.
13:43 They've had some dodgy runs.
13:46 There was a period around November and it all sort of coincided.
13:49 And I'm not saying this was a distraction, but when their Gillingham job came up and Scott Lindsay was rumoured to have had interviews and that.
13:56 I mean, he denies that he had an interview for the job, but you hear different things.
14:00 And it sort of...
14:02 There seemed to be a little bit of a distraction around that time.
14:05 And there was a little bit of a bad run and they sort of dropped it.
14:08 And they were never really going to ever be in a relegation battle, I don't think, even if they had a run.
14:13 But then, sort of January onwards, they just...
14:16 After the MK Don's defeat and that, they just sort of didn't look back.
14:19 And it was only a poor little run towards the end of the season that meant they didn't confirm their playoff place earlier than they actually did.
14:27 And they had to wait for that last win against Grimsby on the final day and results going against them.
14:32 I mean, you have to feel for Barrow a little bit, don't you?
14:34 They're all seasoned last game of the season.
14:37 But yeah, not really.
14:38 I mean, I thought they were a very good, well-organised side, Barrow, but they're not fun to watch, I didn't think.
14:45 But yeah.
14:46 Someone has to miss out and ultimately, you've got to...
14:50 It's up until the final game in the final minute in your career.
14:54 Absolutely.
14:55 Yeah, no, I'm so delighted for Scott because I've endured some managers over the years of Crawley Town.
15:03 One springs to mind straight away.
15:05 You've seen those YouTube videos of people who've played that for the club.
15:09 Yeah, but Scott and the players.
15:12 And I said I presented an award on Sunday night at the award ceremony.
15:15 And I just said, I was asked by the compere, I said, "What's it been like covering them?"
15:20 And I just said, "It's been a breath of fresh air this year."
15:22 Scott, even when they lose, he's always there.
15:25 You can tell what kind of mood he's in, but he's always going to give you time and he's always going to talk to you.
15:30 Whereas previous managers haven't done that.
15:31 And the players, every player you speak to, they're interested in you as well.
15:37 I mean, I walked past Lawrence Maguire at the table on Sunday night and he just grabbed me,
15:41 "Hey Mark, how you doing? What's going on?" sort of thing.
15:43 And it's just like, I've never had that before.
15:45 And it was really interesting to see.
15:47 So, but it's been great.
15:49 And I'm just so pleased for Scott and the club.
15:52 And they've got five full-time employees, Crawley Town Football Club.
15:56 And they work so hard.
15:57 And I've got to know them really well over the years.
15:59 And they deserve this just as much as Scott and the players.
16:02 That's the great level of football, isn't it?
16:05 You can have a club like MK Dons who have got hundreds of employees who, you know,
16:09 seemingly have all the backing and everything like that.
16:13 And then in a similar boat, in a similar match, you've got Crawley Town.
16:18 I mean, it's the boys of league too.
16:20 Yeah, absolutely.
16:24 Tell me about Clydie Lollos then, because I remember, I think he came on
16:28 in the game at the Broadfield Stadium against Dons.
16:31 I think a lot of people just weren't sure on him.
16:34 They'd sort of just discovered who he was.
16:37 But he's been absolutely flying in the last few weeks.
16:39 Oh, he's been incredible.
16:41 And he has been sort of like the revelation this year, because I remember when they signed him.
16:46 Again, it was one of those ones where everybody just sort of like, who's this guy?
16:49 Playing at Oxford City last year, at the National League South, there's an Oxford City, I think.
16:54 And Scott Lindsay said to me earlier on, he said, you watch this guy.
16:59 He is going to be special.
17:00 And he said he's got so much talent.
17:02 He just, I think he just needs a little bit of reining in, a little bit of coaching.
17:06 And he'll be there.
17:07 And he did.
17:07 He came on against MK Dons.
17:09 I think he's actually played in all 46 league games this year, as I've started.
17:17 He played 26 times, 20 games as substitute.
17:20 So, and he scored, he's got 13 goals now.
17:24 And he, I just love it.
17:26 In his last six, I think he's got, yeah.
17:28 Yeah, he was.
17:29 Yeah, absolutely.
17:29 And a vital equaliser against Sutton a couple of weeks ago.
17:34 So, but he, I just, he's a joy to watch.
17:38 He's got such quick feet.
17:39 He's aggressive.
17:40 He loves sticking it to the away fans and that.
17:44 He loves celebrating in front of them.
17:45 And he's the kind of player you want on your team, but you hate him if you're on the other team.
17:50 But he's a joy to watch.
17:53 And he scored some absolute quality goals.
17:54 I think he had two goals in the goal of the season that he could have had.
17:58 And he won goal of the season for his goal against Harrogate.
18:00 I don't know if you saw it.
18:02 Took on his chef, flicked it over and then sort of the old Delhi alley type one against,
18:05 is it Palace that time?
18:07 Bristol Paris, yeah, yeah.
18:08 Yeah.
18:09 But he's a joy and he's not so good at speaking at award ceremonies, which I found out the other night.
18:16 But he's doing it on the pitch and the fans absolutely love him.
18:22 And yeah, he is a real danger man.
18:24 He plays just behind Orsi up front and he drops back and he does work so hard as well.
18:30 There's one minute he'll be leading an attack and then it'll be tracking back as well when
18:35 the team are counterattacking or whatever.
18:37 He's just an absolute joy to watch.
18:38 But the fact that he was playing in National League South last year and now he's just tearing
18:43 it up, he's got a bright, bright future ahead of him.
18:45 And it'll be interesting how cruelly we keep hold of him because depending if they go up or not,
18:51 yeah, it'll be really interesting.
18:52 So there'll be teams interested.
18:53 Well, I think it's Dom's almost in a similar boat with Mike Williams.
18:59 He was managing it last season, back to the start of this.
19:02 Yes, of course.
19:03 And then there's rumours of clubs higher up the Earth, all the pyramids sniffing around.
19:08 It goes to show that no matter what level you're at, there's always going to be somebody in there
19:13 who can pluck a bit of a surprise out of nowhere.
19:17 Yeah, absolutely.
19:18 And also talking about Williams and Lindsay, every time a drop comes up now, Lindsay seems
19:23 to be second favourite for Stevenage, Gillingham again this time round.
19:27 And it's, I mean, Crawley could lose players and they'll be able to sort it out.
19:32 If they lost Scott Lindsay, it'll be very, very difficult to find someone who's done
19:36 the job or try and equal the job that he's done this year.
19:39 Yeah, for sure.
19:40 For sure.
19:40 Was it him that's brought in this style of play then?
19:42 Because that certainly seems to be one of the shining things about Crawley this season,
19:46 has been that style of play.
19:47 Absolutely.
19:48 Yeah, it was that.
19:49 Because he said when he came in last year, he knew what job he had to do to keep them up.
19:53 And it was, towards the end of the season, it was quite hard to watch Crawley Town, but
19:57 they got the job done.
19:58 And he knew that.
19:59 But then he cleared out...
20:00 In situations, isn't it?
20:02 Just getting it done.
20:03 Absolutely.
20:04 And he had it clear out with a squad that he didn't want, got in all these players and
20:09 he's moulded this team.
20:10 I think there's only, what, one or two players that were playing at Crawley.
20:14 Dion Conroy, Ben Gladwin, Nick Sarula, Corey O'Day, the keeper, the rest of all new players
20:21 that he brought in and he has moulded them straight away.
20:24 And he's had Jamie Day as assistant, Karl Arriman, who's famous for bringing through
20:30 Jack, the likes of Jack Wilshire, Emile Smithrow at Arsenal.
20:33 He brought him in.
20:34 He's like Scott's mentor that he came in this year.
20:37 Steve Howe, the goalkeeping coach.
20:39 And they've got such a good backroom staff.
20:41 But Scott just said straight away, this is how I want to play.
20:44 And he won't change from it.
20:45 Yes, there might be little tweaks here and there.
20:48 I remember one press conference, I can't remember what game, I think it was before
20:52 Swindon game on New Year's Day.
20:54 And it was quite relaxed.
20:55 And we were in the dressing room because the normal press conference room wasn't available.
20:59 And he had his tactics brought up.
21:00 And he mentioned when I was talking to him about how he hated 4-4-2, absolutely hates it.
21:06 And I said, why do you hate it?
21:08 And he literally went up and for an hour showed me why, how he plays is brilliant and how
21:14 he makes little tweaks here and there.
21:16 And this is what he'll do.
21:16 And he said, you watch this on Saturday.
21:18 If we're losing, I'll do this and sort of thing like that.
21:20 And it was a real fascinating eye-opening, just how sort of into the minutia of every
21:26 little thing that happens.
21:27 If so-and-so moves to here, this person has to come in and put pressure on here and stuff
21:31 like that.
21:32 It was fascinating.
21:32 And he really is a real student of the game.
21:35 And yeah, he's just absolutely great.
21:40 And I think, yeah, it's all down to that him that this style is there.
21:44 But the players have still got to take it on board and actually implement it, haven't
21:47 they?
21:47 And how he's got that team with the likes of Jay Williams playing at Banbury last year,
21:53 Clydie Lollos, as we've said, to play at this level and to qualify for the playoffs is just
21:58 a magnificent effort.
21:59 And how he wasn't nominated along with Mike for Manager of the Year, I do not know.
22:04 Now, it's one of those awards that always make me sit up and pay attention.
22:10 I do wonder how they come up with their nomination sometimes.
22:12 I know they've got to pick guys at the sharp end, but there are so many guys in that division
22:16 who are doing wonderful with the teams and the budgets that they've got.
22:19 Yeah, absolutely.
22:21 Yeah, the teams that finished first and second, neither manager was nominated, were they?
22:25 I don't think.
22:26 No, I think they were so heavy favourites to go up, it would be a failure if they finished
22:31 in the top four, wouldn't it?
22:32 So, it's...
22:33 Absolutely.
22:33 Yeah.
22:34 So, a bit of mixed form going into the playoffs for Crawley.
22:38 But I suppose, like I said, once that whistle blows, it's probably not going to make that
22:45 much of a big difference, to be honest.
22:46 I don't think so, no.
22:48 Yeah, it was frustrating because they could have had that playoff spot secured a lot earlier,
22:54 couldn't they?
22:54 And not only that, I mean, it added to the drama on the final day, which was great.
22:57 But they should have beaten Barrow.
23:00 Well, like I said, Barrow were very organised.
23:02 I was quite impressed with how they defended that.
23:04 But yeah, the Wrexham game, they were never going to win that.
23:08 But I mean, after when they won 4-1 at Mansfield, I honestly thought, right, this is it.
23:13 They're on the home straight now and they're going to finish fifth or sixth or even they
23:16 could have even snuck a one point mathematically further, I think.
23:19 I think they could have...
23:20 I think at one point they would have...
23:20 They could have done it from the shoulders, for sure.
23:22 Don't want to let them do it from the shoulders.
23:24 But then, yeah, the defeat to Colchester was a huge...
23:28 They seem to have struggled at home.
23:30 And I hope this doesn't bear through on Monday in front of those big crowds, because they
23:34 had this initiative, two at two pounds, the Colchester game and the Doncaster game.
23:39 Doncaster game on Good Friday.
23:40 And remember Doncaster were 19th when they played Crawley on Good Friday.
23:44 And they, yeah, Crawley, they just...
23:46 I don't know if it was anything to do with the pressure of the big crowds or what, or...
23:50 But I mean, Doncaster, I suppose, is a bit of an anomaly because it was just...
23:55 They were just on this incredible...
23:56 Started off an incredible run.
23:58 But Colchester...
23:58 As a Doncaster fan, though, I don't know how I feel about it, because I don't know
24:04 whether or not I'd be livid the fact that they were so bad for the first
24:06 seven months of the season, and then all of a sudden have put on this tear, because,
24:11 you know, they've been playing like that the rest of the season, which is obvious to say.
24:15 Why don't you play like that every week?
24:17 But haven't they been playing like that for at least two of the other months?
24:21 Because they're...
24:22 Yeah, oh, you'd be furious, wouldn't you?
24:24 Yeah.
24:25 But you'd take this all day long, wouldn't you, where they are, sort of thing.
24:29 And they don't...
24:30 Would you say they're favourites?
24:31 Would you say they're favourites of the playoffs?
24:33 I think based off form and off momentum and just off that confidence, absolutely,
24:39 you'd have to fancy them.
24:40 They look unstoppable at the minute, even I think when they were losing on the final day.
24:46 You know, you still thought, "They'll come back well-matched, they'll perform."
24:51 So, yeah, I think they are massive favourites.
24:54 But it's a roll of the dice, isn't it?
24:56 Yeah.
24:57 Well, NK Dorms are the only team that Crawley have beaten in this season.
25:02 They're in the playoffs and they lost both times to Crewe as well.
25:04 Yeah, the Sutton game was a disappointing one as well because they did sink to Sutton's level.
25:11 They just ended up lumping it forward and it was really disappointing to watch.
25:15 Talking about Doncaster, that was the day they were losing.
25:20 Was it Barrow that day?
25:21 I can't remember.
25:22 When they were losing 2-0, got it back to 2-2 and then scored 2 in injury time.
25:26 And we had the live commentators behind us from BBC Sussex and Surrey.
25:31 And I was saying, "Oh, it's a good result in the end because Doncaster have drew."
25:34 And we were like, "No, they haven't. They haven't."
25:37 And it was like, "Oh, God."
25:39 And it was like a bit of a thing.
25:40 And at that point, I thought, "Have they blown it at this point at Sutton?"
25:45 But then, luckily, other results have gone their way.
25:47 And I think the Lerps hit most teams, didn't they, in that top lot?
25:52 Yeah.
25:52 No, it always does at that point of the season.
25:55 And it must have been a nail-biting time on that final day as well.
25:59 It was, yeah.
26:00 But, I mean, it helped that they got that early goal.
26:03 And Scott Lindsay said to me before the game, he said, "If we win, we will be in the play-offs
26:08 because there's no way that all results can go against us."
26:11 And he was just so great.
26:12 "We win, we're in the play-offs."
26:13 And he was absolutely right.
26:14 And getting that early goal and Orsi and Lollos, what have they got between them?
26:19 Sorry, I'm just going to check my spreadsheet.
26:20 They've got 30 league goals between them, 34 in total over the season.
26:25 They've been a real good combination.
26:27 And, yeah, Orsi, sometimes it looks like he does nothing.
26:30 And then he'll score two goals very quickly.
26:32 It's, yeah, great.
26:34 Terrific.
26:35 Terrific.
26:36 So, what do you reckon then?
26:37 What's your score predictions then going into these games?
26:40 So, I did our local podcast that we did yesterday.
26:43 And I predicted overall 3-2 to Crawley.
26:46 So, I think I'm going for a 2-1 at home and then a very tight, nervy 1-1 draw away.
26:52 That's what I'm going for.
26:53 I'm being positive on my side.
26:54 I reckon it will be the reverse.
26:57 I reckon it will be one each at the broadfield.
27:00 And I reckon Dons will do it 2-0, I think.
27:03 Yeah.
27:04 There's got to be two.
27:06 Barry Clarke, he said, "Yeah, we just hope there's going to be two good games.
27:10 They don't nullify each other, really, isn't it?"
27:11 That's all you want.
27:13 The only thing you could do would just be two ugly, horrible 0-0s and it goes to penalties.
27:17 And it's just, we scuff away from 12-13.
27:20 So, we've run out of fingernails.
27:23 We've run out of fingers to bite at the end.
27:25 We've typed our fingers down to the bone on the live blogs.
27:29 And yeah, I reckon it's...
27:31 Entertainment, I think, is ultimately what I think everybody wants.
27:35 That's what the playoffs ultimately are about, is giving everybody that thrill.
27:40 And hopefully, with two big crowds in the grounds for the two games, hopefully,
27:45 one set of fans is going to leave somewhere disappointed.
27:49 But hopefully, they'll get their money's worth and have some entertainment with it.
27:55 Because I think it's two very, very good teams who are going to be batting heads.
27:58 Yeah, absolutely.
27:59 And it'll be whoever wins out of this one, I think, whoever gets to play in the final,
28:03 they will give them a really good game.
28:06 Because Scott Lindsay has always said, he said, if we play at Wembley...
28:08 Because Scott Lindsay was the assistant manager of Forest Green
28:11 when they went up in the playoffs and won at Wembley.
28:13 He said, "My team on that Wembley pitch will beat anyone."
28:16 I think it's good enough and it's smooth enough for the style of football to just...
28:21 It plays perfectly into the hands of both teams.
28:24 Absolutely.
28:27 It's been brilliant catching up with you and I've seen you're there for both games.
28:30 Yeah, I'll be using my way down.
28:32 Yeah, and then, yeah, well, I've got three more games left this season anyway,
28:37 so because I've got Wembley as well, haven't I?
28:38 So...
28:39 Excellent stuff. Thanks, Toby.
28:43 And yeah, don't forget to look at sussexworld.co.uk,
28:47 miltonkeynes.co.uk for all the latest on those games.